Europa XL, N8027U

Summary:

The kit built aircraft was taking off in good weather conditions with the owner and his daughter, both pilots, on board. During the climb-out it entered a spin, from which it did not recover. Both pilots were fatally injured in the accident. A post crash fire destroyed much of the aircraft rendering identification of features of the aircraft and hence the process of investigation more difficult. It was concluded, however, that the aircraft probably lacked any form of effective stall warning and may well have retained undesirable stall/spin characteristics. Development flying to improve such characteristics, normally carried out on British registered examples of the type, appears not to have taken place on this aircraft. No positive evidence of mechanical or structural failure or of pilot incapacitation was found.